Tire Bead Mounting Using Rotating Fingers to Prevent Wheel Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for mounting tires to wheels often cause damage to the wheel through denting, bending, scratching, or scoring, leading to poor sealing and potential air pressure leaks.
Innovation Solution
A tire mounting process that involves positioning the tire relative to the wheel to form a juncture angle, using fingers to contact the bead without touching the wheel, and rotating these fingers to advance the beads below the bead seats while the wheel is fixed, ensuring no contact with the wheel during the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual tire iron methods are used to force the bead past the wheel edge, then the tire can be mounted to the wheel, but the wheel edge is damaged through denting, bending, scratching, or scoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mounting cone as an intermediary tool between the tire bead and the wheel. The cone's tapered surface allows the bead to be forced past the wheel edge without direct contact between mounting tools and the wheel edge, thereby preventing denting, bending, scratching, or scoring of the wheel while still enabling successful tire mounting
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting cone is designed as a consumable tool that is discarded after a single use. This disposable approach eliminates the need for expensive wheel repairs or replacements, as the cone absorbs all the mechanical stress and damage during the mounting process, protecting the wheel from harm
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the wheel is held stationary during bead advancement, then wheel damage is prevented, but the mounting process requires more force application
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting cone features a curved, tapered surface that guides the tire bead along its contour as the wheel rotates. This curved path distributes the forcing action over a longer distance and reduces peak forces compared to linear pushing methods, while still maintaining wheel stability and preventing damage
3Extent of automation
If automated machines with rigid members are used to rotate the wheel and advance the bead, then labor is reduced, but the rigid members can still damage the wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting cone acts as a flexible intermediary surface compared to rigid mounting members. Its conical geometry allows it to conform to the bead shape while distributing forces evenly, preventing the concentrated stresses that cause wheel damage even when used with automated rotating mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a process for mounting a tire onto a wheel. The process comprises positioning the tire in respect to the wheel such that a first arc of the bottom bead extends between the wheel's top and bottom bead seats. Next, two fingers are placed in contact with the bottom bead at locations immediately adjacent to opposing ends of the first arc of the bottom bead. The first finger rotates about the central axis in a rotational direction away from the first arc of the bottom bead while applying a force in a direction of the bottom bead to advance all of the bottom bead below the top bead seat. These steps are repeated with the top bead to advance all of the top bead below the top bead seat. During the process, the first finger and the second finger may not contact any portion of the wheel.